Shoe last



P. P. WARAXA Oct. 24, 1933.

SHOE LAST Filed Jan. 21. 1932 Fezerfwaraxa 2 I Patented Oct. 24, 1933 UNilT ED" sTArEs waukee, Wis.

pApplicationJanuary 21, 1932 Serial Nf.587,949 j Claims. (01. 12 141) This invention appertains to shoe lasts and more particularly to novel means for connecting the insole of a shoe to the last. In this art, it is the common and universal practice to temporarily'tack the insole to the last dur.-'

ing the Various shoe making operations. This practice has many inherent disadvantages long recognized by shoe manufacturers. Some of these disadvantages are, the cost of the tacks,

' the tacking machines and theoperation of tacking; the cost of the tack pulling machines and the operation of pulling the. tacks; the damageoften caused to the insoles by the tack pulling machine; the necessity of filling up the tack holesand the j pounding down of the rough edges made by the tacks; the inspection of the shoes for insole tacks and the danger of injury to the inspectors hand if a tack is encountered, and the hazard of leaving an insole tack in the shoe and the consequent likelihood of injury to the wearer.

It is, therefore, a primary object of my inven tion to provide a novel means for detachably connecting the insole to the last, whereby the use of tacks and the consequent disadvantages, as outlined above, are entirely eliminated.

Another prime object of my invention is the provision of novel means for connecting an insole to a last embodying latches connected with the last for engagement with the insole, the latches acting to firmly hold the insole in proper position on the last and being of such a construction as to permit the quick and easy placing of the same into and out of operative'position relative to the last and insole.

A further salient object of my invention is the provision of novel means for forming the latches to permit the effective detachable engagement thereof with the last and the effective engagement thereof with the insole, so that theinsole 1 will be engaged both at its marginal edge and at the inseaming lip, whereby the insole will be prop erly held for obtaining the most advantages during the various shoe operations. A still further object of my invention is t provide an improved device of the above character, which will be durable and eflicient in use, one that will be very simple and easy to manna facture, and one in which the latches and last can be repeatedly used.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a last constructed in accordance with my invention and showing an insole held l thereon by my novel latches, one of said latches being shown partly in section; V Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the construction of one of the novel latches and the keeper carried bythe'last; g Y 2* Figure '3 is a fragmentary. side elevation of my improved last, showing an insole connected there- With.

Referring to the drawing indetail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my improved last and B-the novel latches employed for detachably holding the insole C, in properpositionv on the last A.

The last YA is of any preferred shape and is constructed in accordance with the general ap provedtype of devicesof this character, with the exception; that in accordance with my invention I employ at spaced points novel keepers for engagement by the latches B.

As shown, I provide a pair of these keepers adjacent to the front of the last and a pair of these keepers adjacent to the rear end of the sole portion of thelast, but it is to be understood that more or less of these keepers can be employed. Each keeper embodies a keeper plate 5, preferably formed of metal and counter-sunk flush with the face of the last. As illustrated, each keeper plate is held in place by the use of suitable screws 6, but it is obvious, that other means can be employed for holding the keeper plates in position. The keeper plates, each embody a sole portion 7 and a substantially right angular disposed side last portion 8, which is provided with a keeper notch 9. The last at this point can likewise be notched as at 10, so as to insure the proper engagement of each latch B with its respective keeper.

The insole C which is placed on the face of the last A is of conventional character and will not be described in detail, but it is to be noted that the same embodies the upstanding insoling lip' 11 and marginal flange 12.

The latches B are of novel construction and form one of the salient features of my invention and each of the latches embody a hook 15 for engaging over its keeper plate and the outer ends of u L the hooks, remote from the bills thereof, are provided with yokes 16 for receiving the latch levers 17. Suitable pivot pins l8 are employed for connecting the latch levers with the yoke portions 16 of the hooks 15, whereby said levers can be swung relative to the hooks. The outer ends of the latch levers are of a substantially cam-shaped form, as indicated by the reference character 19, and these cam portions 19 swing in between the arms of the yoke portions 16 of the hooks for engaging the marginal flange 12 of the insole C, as will. be later described. Each latch lever 17 is provided with an inwardly directed manipulating handle portion 20, the inner end of which carry an abutment shoulder or lug 21 for engaging the inner face of the lip 11 of the insole C. These shoulders or lugs 21 are arranged in spaced relation to the cams 19 and depend from the latch levers so as to engage over the lip .11 and can be seen 'by referring to Figure 2 of the drawing.

In use of my improved device, the insole is, placed on the face of the last Aafter which the hooks 15 of the latches are placed in engagement with the keeper plates 5 and the latch lever handles 20"areengaged by the 'hands'of the operator and-are swung downward over the face of the insole, so *thatthe cam portions 19 thereof will "ride on and grip the marginal edge 12 of the insole and ffi'rmly 'hold the insole to the last, and the "latches in "position. The downward swinging movement of the latch lever handles 20 will swing the shoulders or lugs 21 in engagement with the lip 11 and consequently, the insole will be graspedbothat its marginal edge andat its lip. Engagement of the shouldersor lugs 21 not only act as means for firmly holding the insole in place, but also as means for slightly stretching 'the'insole across the last and conseduentl'y holdingthe insole in proper place on the last.

The'usualshoe making operations can now be proceeded with and the latches can'be readily removed bothirom the insole and last at the proper time.

U theforegoing description, it 'c'an'be seen thathave provided'means whereby an insole can be quickly and easily attached to a last without the use of tacks, thereby eliminating all of the disadvantages heretofore inherent with the use of tacks for this purpose. 2

Changes in detail may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention, but what 1 claim as new is: V I

1'. The combination with a last having keeper plates secured thereto at spaced points, of insole gripping clamps having means for detachably engaging said keeper plates.

: 2.;Ihe combination with a last having a plurality of'spaced marginal keeper plates, of means for deta'cha-bly connecting an insole to the last includinga'pluralityoflatches, each of said latches including a hookior detachably engaging its respective keeper plate, and a cam lever pivotally carridb'y -tl ie'ho'ok',tilt-ream lever being mounted -for*swinging binding engagement with the marginal edge of the insole.

-3. The combinationwith a last havinga pluralitybf-s'pacedmar'gin'al keeper'plates, ofm'eans for detachably connecting an insole -to the last including a plurality oflatches, each of saidlatches includinga'hook for detachably engaging itsrespective keepe'r plate and a cam l'ev'e'r'pivotally carried by the hook, the-camlever being mounted for swinging binding engagement with the-marginaledge of the insole, and an insole lip engaging shouldercarried by each'lat'ch lever.

4. In-a-deviceof theabove character for h'olding an insole'on a last, a hook, a cam lever pivotally-carr'i'ed by the hook, and an insole lip-engaging shoulder formed on the cam'lever in spaced relation to the cam thereof.

5. In a device for detachablysecuring an insole on alast,'a hook having a yoked end, a cam lever pivotally carried by the hook arranged -between the arms'ofthe-yoked end, and an insole lip engaging shoulder'on the camlever in spaced-relati'on'to the cam end thereof.

PETER P. WARAXA. 

